Sign.



' Patented Jan. I, I90l. A. LBROWN.

SIGN.

(Application filed Aug. 17, 1900.)

2 Shets-$heet I.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES I IN VEN TOR. ffiamw g ARCHIBALD L. BRO WN,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,309, dated January 1, 1901.

Application filed. August 17, 1900.

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AROHIBALD L. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of signs which are readable by daylight and are rendered visible at night by illumination, and especially to electrically-illumined signs.

The invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction hereinafter fully set forth, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of myimproved sign. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified construction. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical transverse section enlarged.

In said drawings, A represents a suitable casing for the sign, which may be suspended by chains B and a central longitudinal tube B or otherwise supported. In the front of this casing is a glass plate C, rendered opaque by a layer of heavy paint C, except Where the letters or other designs occur, so that it cuts off the rays of light from the lamps used in illuminating the sign, with the exception of such as escape through the letters or design. The glass is secured to any suitable surrounding frame, such as that shown at D, having a retaining-channel D, in which the plate will be securely held.

The outlines of the letters or design are indicated by rows of jewels E, secured to the outside of the plate. I prefer to attach the jewels to the outside of the plate, as clearly shown at Fig. 5, as I find by experiment that not only are the jewels much more brilliant when thus attached than when they areattached to the inside of the -plate-as, for instance, in the manner shown in the patent to Evans, No. 653,003-but the sign can be read more easily and clearly from a sidewise point of view. As will be understood, the plate 0' is transparent where the jewels are applied, so that the rays from the lamp may pass through the jewels.

Serial No. 27,126. (No model.)

It has been customary heretofore to illuminate these signs by means of lamps placed directly back of the letters, and as a consequence the letters are unevenly lighted, some portions of the sign being less brilliant than others. I have removed this objection by placing the lamps F in the top of the casing and beneath a reflector Gr, whereby the entire space inside the casing is not only rendered very light, but the light is evenly distributed, no one part of the sign receiving more than another part, so that the effect of the sign to the beholder is greatly improved. The series of lamps and the reflector are arranged longitudinally of the casing, as seen at Fig. 2, and are located wholly above the highest part of the letters. It is desirable where the sign is a double onethat is, with two letterplates 0, as at Figs. 3 and 4that a separate series of lamps and reflectors be provided for each plate.

A further feature of my improvement will be found in the provision of means for causing flashes of light to pass up and down the series of jewels. These means consist of a moving mirror or mirrors located in the easing and directly back of the jeweled letters. In the simplest construction a mirror H is socured in a swinging frame H, hinged in the upper part of the sign-casing and receiving a slow to-and-fro movement from an electric oroth er suitable motor J. This causes flashes of light to traverse the signs in vertical directions, both in the day-time and at night, and attracts the attention of passers-by to them oftentimes when they would otherwise be unnoticed. In double signs the mirrorsH may be placed back to back in the same frame H as illustrated at Fig. 5, and these mirrors may be made of colored glass, if desired, so that the flashes passing over the sign will be similarly colored. A modification of this feature of the sign is shown at Fig. 4. and consists in securing a series of mirrors H to a revolving shaft H so that they stand radially of the shaft and will cause successive flashes of light to pass over the sign as they pass the latter. These radiating mirrors may be variously colored, so that successive flashes caused by them will be unlike in color. It is desirable to duplicate the mirrors H in this construction as well as in the other, and thereby enable them-to cast flashes upon both faces of the sign.

The casing is desirably provided with a door K in its bottom, allowing access to the interior of the casing. The motor and the lamps may all be supplied with electrical energy by the wires L L.

L represents an arched plate forming part of the top of the casing.

I claim 1. The illuminated sign having the letters or design formed by jewels secured to aglass' plate which is opaque except where the jewels occur, and also having a moving mirror for flashing light over the jewels both by day and by night, substantially as specified.

2. The illuminated sign having the letters or design formed by jewels secured to a glass plate which is opaque except where the jew- 2o tially as specified.

AROHIBALD- L. BROWN. Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, EDW. S. EVARTS. 

